Sectional wood gutter



N. T. M KENZlE SECTIONAL WOOD GUTTER Sept. 4, 1945.

Filed Oct. 20, 1943 Patented Sept. 4, 1945 Neal'T. itiaclinziefst.Pau fMinm, assig'noi' to General Timber tea s Heretofore. the several formations of the end members designed to connect sectionsof awood gutter together have not been entirely satisfactory because of the difficulties attendant upon making strong, leakproof joints therewith in-situ and also because the work of making the connections and/or shaping the joint members has consumed an excessive amount of time while requiring a relatively high degree of skill.:

It is an objectof this invention to provide a novel sectional wood gutter having unusually strong, rigid and leakproof telescoping joints or splice connections between sections.

A particular object is to provide wood gutter sections with novel telescoping end members formed with cylindrical surfaces disposed concentrically about the longitudinal gutter axis and end surfaces extending at right angles to said axis whereby the telescoping end members are adapted to hold the sections in alignment independently of other fastening means, thus greatly facilitating the assembly of the sections in situ.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a part front elevation and part central longitudinal section througha wood gutter showing my improved joint;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the male end portion of one of my gutter sections, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the female end portion of a gutter section embodying my improvements.

Fragmentary portions of gutter sections to be joined together end to end are indicated generally by the numerals 5 and 6 respectively, these sections being of the usual channel shape having an Open top and being constructed from wood. End surfaces 1 and 8 of the respective sections extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the gutter. Projecting from the end surface I is a male member 9' of crescent shape in cross section and having a cylindrical outer surface It) adapted to fit accurately within a cylindrical recess l I formed in the gutter section 8. The outer end surface of the member 9 is parallel to the surface 1 and is adapted to abut against or extend closely adjacent to a similarly shaped shoulder l2 formed on the gutter section 6 when the surface 1 is in contact with the surface 8.

As shown in Fig. 2, the cylindrical surfaces [0 and l I make contact with each other over the entire area comprised within an angle considerably in excess of 180 about the axis of these surfaces. In the embodiment illustrated these cylindrical Ser corporation of'pelavva re I I v Amllicatien h e 1943. serial No. 507.219 (cuts- 28) Inc; St. Paul, Minn., a

surfaces make" contact with each other over the entire'area comprised'within an angleof approximately245 This makes it necessary to slide the telescoping-end members longitudinally into interlocking relation to each other and resultsv in the formation .of a splice joint: which holdsthe adjoining gutterxse'ction's in alignment with each other' independently of any other. fastening. devices. .To insure a leakproof joint,.waterproof adhesive should be appliedwbetween the cylindrical surfaces 10 and Il .an'd-iti may alsozbe used between the surfaces land'- 8 and between. the outer end surface of the member 9 and surface l2. Otherwise caulking material may be used between the outer end of the male member 9 and surface l2 and radially extending screws I3 may be used to connect the male member 9 with the overlapping female member. The holes for these screws are preferably drilled and countersunk at the factory to minimize the work required to fasten the joint in situ and to insure proper location of the screws. To guard against longitudinal splitting of. the gutter in case it becomes filled with ice, the continuous top opening should be unrestricted laterally as compared with the Width of the lower portions of the inside surface and it is therefore impractical to make the inside trough surface concentric with the cylindrical surfaces It) and H above the horizontal line throughthe axis of these cylindrical surfaces. Below this horizontal line the inside trough surfaces are preferably concentric with the surfaces l0 and I I.

From the foregoing it Will be evident that the work of assembling my improved gutter sections in telescoping relation to each other and that required to make the fastening may be performed by unskilled workmen with a minimum of effort and that the resulting splice joint'is not only leakproof but unusually rigid and strong. The equipment used to shape my improved end joints is simple and inexpensive, and the labor involved in the manufacturing operation is slight. Since thi invention utilizes short lengths of material its use results in important savings in the cost of material and has the further advantage of affo'rding an outlet for considerable quantities of material which is available only in. the shorter lengths.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A gutter comprising channel-shaped, opentop sections disposed end to end and formed with telescoping male and female end portions respectively, said male end portion being substantially crescent shape in cross section and having inner and outer surfaces which converge upwardly at each side toward a top edge, the outer surface of said male end portion contacting an inner surface of said female end portion of the adjoining gutter section over an area extending through an angle greater than 180 degrees about the axis of said surfaces and the inner surface of said male end portionhaving an angular extentwhich is less than] saidouter surface, whereby the outer surface of said male end portion and th'e contactmg inner surface of the female end portion co operate to align said sections and to secure them against relative upward displacement one with v respect to the other, while the inner surface of said male end portion form's upwardly'flarin'g; unrestricted top opening.

2. A gutter comprising channel-shaped, open top sections disposed end to end and 'formed with telescoping male and female end portions respec-,

tively, said male end portion being substantially crescent shape in cross section a d-having inner and-outer surfaces-which converge upwardiy at each: side toward. a top edge;:the outer surfaceof said-male endportion' contactingtheinner sure race of: said iema-Iexend portion of the adjoining grutter'section over an area-'extendingthrough an angle- "greater-than "180 degrees about the aXisof saidsurfaces and'th'e inner surface of said male end portion having an angular extent which does not exceed 180 degrees; .whereby the outer surface of said male end portion and the contacting. inner surface ofv the female end portion cooperate to ly, said male end portion being substantially crescent shape in cross section and being formed with inner and outer surfaces which converge upwardlyat each side to meet along a line at their top' and at a side-surface of said channel, the

T Ioutersurfaceof said male end portion contacting an inne surface of said female end portion of the adjoining gutter section over an area extending through an angle greater than 180 degrees about the axis of said inner and outer surfaces and the inner surface of said male end portion having an angular extent which is less thanv said outer surfae'awhereby the outer surface of said male end portion and the contacting inner surface of the female end portion cooperate to align said sections andto secure them against relative upward displacement, one withrespect to the other, while the inner surface of said male end portion forms an upwardly flaring, unrestricted top opening, and meansior securing said. sections against longitudinal: separation in end.t0-end matched relation. MACKENZIE. 

